Brattleboro Planning Commission Meeting: January 6, 2025 at 6:00 pm

by planning | Town Plan

6:15 – 7:10 Town Plan 2026 – Future Land Use
Interactive activity using maps and a lookbook to identify characteristics of development and uses that are desired for two areas of town.

7:10 – 7:25 Water & Sewer District and Zoning
Review and approve, if ready, proposed changes to the Land Use Regulations to bring areas with water and sewer into compliance with State statute.

7:25 – 7:40 Water & Sewer Ordinance
Review revised options for requiring sewer service area extensions/expansions to be supported by the Planning Commission, and/or the Town Plan and applicable planning bylaws. Vote on whether recommended one option to the Selectboard.

Noticed Around Brattleboro – Winter 2024-25

by cgrotke | Town News

Here’s your seasonal spot to write up little things that might be worth a sentence.  What have you noticed recently in the Brattleboro area?

Winter has kicked off with most of the late autumn snow and ice melting away. It is Dec 30 and near 50 degrees.

The Gaslight Tinkers – Dance Party at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present a dance party with roots and world music quintet The Gaslight Tinkers at Next Stage on Friday, January 24 at 7:30 pm. Blending African, Caribbean, Funk, Reggae, and Latin grooves with traditional fiddle music, the quintet creates the genre-bending future of the music of the past.

The Gaslight Tinkers’ mix of global rhythms creates a joyous world beat sound around a core of traditional New England old time and celtic fiddle music, merging boundless positive energy with melody and song. Drawing from their extensive musical backgrounds in traditional folk, Caribbean, old time, Celtic, and rock, I-Shea, Clara, Garrett, Elie, and Peter craft a sound that brings world traditions together.

Kristin Sullivan on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Arts

Fascinating stories of Kristin Sullivan’s explorations into the arts and traditions of other cultures, indigenous people here and abroad – she wraps all of that into her job here as E.D. at the Retreat Farm. Take a look, it’s an engaging ride!

Brattleboro RTM Human Services Committee Meeting Agenda

by Not Signed In | Town News

RTM Human Services Committee
Monday, December 30, 2024
6:00-9:00pm
Selectboard Meeting Room (RM 212) The Municipal Center 230 Main Street and Zoom
Agenda
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82025368613
• Approve minutes from previous meetings
• Complete review of grant applications.
• Go into deliberative session to discuss rubric scores of applications

Isaac Announces Campaign for Brattleboro Selectboard

by IsaacEF | Politics
issac f campaign

BRATTLEBORO – On a blustery cold Saturday, December 14, standing with supporters in front of the Brattleboro Post Office on Main Street, Isaac Evans-Frantz announced his campaign for a one-year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard. The election will be on March 4, 2025. Seeing the other side of the street bathed in warm sunshine, while he and his supporters shivered in the shade, Evans-Frantz invited everyone to move toward the light and quickly regroup across Main Street for speeches, songs, and distribution of campaign materials.

“During the coming difficult years,” Evans-Frantz, who was born and raised in Brattleboro, said, “Brattleboro needs a new leader who will stand up for all of us. The current selectboard has made decisions contributing to a potential 22% increase in property taxes. Most of our incomes are not increasing by anywhere near this amount. In a year where calls to the police for serious crime increased by 16%, the selectboard passed an ordinance that would fine building owners when some residents report crimes. The current selectboard, left unchecked, risks making life harder — and less safe – for people in Brattleboro.”

The Axis of Evil

by RDavis | Politics

There are a lot of evil, power-intoxicated people ruling countries all over the world. With the imminent ascension of a new evil person in our own country I was prompted to do some research to see if my fears of a world dominated by dictators and oligarchs might be closer to reality than most people realize.

Consider this. According to the United States Institute of Leadership and Diplomacy, “There are currently 49 dictatorships and authoritarian regimes in the world (21 in Africa, 18 in Asia, 7 in the Middle East, 1 in Europe and 2 in Americas). We define a dictator as the ruler of a land rated “Not Free” by the Freedom House in their annual survey of freedom.” That number was reduced to 48 with the fall of Assad in Syria, but who knows what kind of government will replace him?

Vermont Homelessness Press Release For Monday 12 23 2024

by RobertOeser | Activism

A group of current and former legislators who have worked on housing issues (former Sens. Illuzzi, Will Hunter, Jim Leddy, current Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky and Rep. Kate Logan) will hold a press event MONDAY at 10:30 at Delta Hotel, 1117 Williston Road, South Burlington to request Gov. Scott declare a state of emergency regarding the homelessness crisis and they will suggest some short-term solutions that should be promptly considered and enacted.

Attached is an introductory document to provide the theme and basis for the request for an emergency declaration, which has been done by one state and several communities across America.

Brattleboro Holiday Closings

by Not Signed In | Town News

In observance of the Christmas holiday:

Brattleboro Town offices will close at 12:00pm (noon) on Tuesday, December 24, 2024.

Brooks Memorial Library will close at 1:00pm on Tuesday, December 24, 2024.

In observance of the Christmas holiday all Town Offices will be closed Wednesday, December 25, 2024, except emergency services. .

Some Local Holiday Video Favorites

by cgrotke | Creative

Need something to lighten your day? Here are some of our holiday specials created over the years. Apologies for the corporations slapping occasional ads on there now (wasn’t us…). It’s all run by a big eastern syndicate, you know.

Brattleboro Announces Free Parking for Last Two Weekends of 2024

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Town of Brattleboro is offering free parking downtown during the final two weekends of the year. Parking will be free on Dec. 20, 21 and 22, 2024, and again on Dec. 27, 28 and 29 to coincide with the busy holiday season.

Since launching the new parking system in late November, Town staff have been making improvements to it based on public feedback. Several upgrades are currently in development, including additional signage, step-by-step instructions displayed on the sides of the parking kiosks, revisions to the parking zone/kiosk map, and the creation of a “how-to” video that will guide drivers through the three parking methods available downtown.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Deep Budget Cuts To Everything Except Personnel, Roads, Police…etc.

by cgrotke | Town News
FY26 General Fund Budget / Possible Reductions

T’was the week before Christmas and all through the town, not a creature was stirring except for the Brattleboro Selectboard discussing FY26.

The board used Town staff suggestions and assumptions as a starting point. They boldy saved items from being cut but also agreed on cuts worth close to $2 million.  Police will get new uniforms, for example, but snow cleanup, arts, and human services will see cuts.  Members of the public cautioned that these were superficial, one-time, unsustainable cuts and told the board they pushing taxpayers over a cliff in years to come.

WSESD Board Meeting Minutes – December 10, 2024

by Not Signed In | Education

Summary
● Following a discussion about holding or cancelling the Board Retreat, it was determined to proceed with the Board Retreat on 1/13/24 and have a potluck meal to assist with the containment of expenses.
● Approved EES (Early Education Services) to move forward with the preparation and subsequent submission of their application for funding in the amount of $3,483,623.00 (due 1/6/25).
● To settle on a potential ‘shared read’ for the Board to engage in, a group of three to four Board Members have committed to review suggestions in order to select one to bring to the Board.
● A presentation was given by Dr. Rachel Glickman about Community Schools.

Cellist Mike Block & Kora Player Yacouba Sissoko at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts presents a special duo collaboration between cellist Mike Block and master kora player Yacouba Sissoko on Saturday, January 18 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage.

Mike Block is a Grammy-winning multi-style cello player, composer, singer, and educator, with a passion for cross-cultural collaborations. Hailed as “one of the bravest, most intriguing musicians on the American fusion scene” by Gramophone, he was acclaimed by the New York Times for his “vital rich-hued solo playing”, and “a true artist… a sight to behold” by Salt Lake City Deseret News. In addition to his solo performances and touring bands, since 2005 Mike has been a member of the Silk Road Ensemble, founded by Yo-Yo Ma, with which he has been featured as a cello and vocal soloist, contributed arrangements and compositions, and earned a 2017 Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album.

How To Beat Insurance Companies, Legally

by RDavis | Health

Many of us consider health insurance companies to be the enemy. They have too much control over our lives and we feel frustrated having to pay high prices for premiums and then not being sure if our insurance will even cover us when we need it. Sadly, one person recently took his outrage on an insurance company CEO by killing him. That doesn’t make matters better. If that murderer wanted to change the system he could have done a lot of other things, but he chose to make headlines the wrong way.

Short of creating a single payer system where private insurance companies are eliminated, there are a few ways to rein them in and get what you need. One of those ways is to go through the appeals process when a claim for service is denied. Every state has different rules about how to appeal denied claims and I will talk about how to beat the big boys in Vermont. I have helped people with appeals over the years and have won appeals against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont three times.